, contrary to law and their own word, refused the Bohemian crown
to the Archduke Ferdinand, and chose for their ruler the Elector
Palatine, a reformer. But by means of the League and the Lutheran
Electors of Saxony, Ferdinand became Emperor. His opponent was beaten
in the battle of the Weissen-Berge, and left the country as a fugitive.
Here and there, the Protestant opposition continued to blaze up, but
divided, without plan, and with weak resources. Baden-Durlach, the
Mansfelder, the Brunswicker, and lastly the circle of lower Saxony with
the Danish King, succumbed to the troops of the League and the Emperor.
Ferdinand II., who though Emperor, was still a fugitive in the states
belonging to his house, obtained through the assistance of an
experienced mercenary commander, Wallenstein, a large body of troops,
whom he maintained in the territory of the principality by contribution
and pillage. Ever greater did the Emperor's army continue to swell;
ever higher rose his claims in Germany and Italy: the old idea of
Charles V. after the Smalkaldic war became a living principle in the
nephew; he would subdue Germany, as his predecessor had done the
peasants and the estates in the Austrian provinces; he would crush all
independence, the privileges of cities, the rights of the estates, the
pride and family power of princes--he hoped to subjugate all Germany to
his faith and his house. But throughout the whole of Germany sounded a
cry of grief and indignation, at the horrible marauding war which was
conducted by the merciless general of the Hapsburger. All the allies of
the Imperial house rose threateningly against him. The Princes of the
League, and above all Maximilian of Bavaria, looked abroad for help;
they subdued the high spirit of the Emperor, and he was obliged to
dismiss his faithful General and to control the barbarous army. Nay,
more, even the Holy Father began to fear the Emperor. The Pope himself
united with France in order to bring Swedish help to the Protestants.
The lion of the north disembarked on the German coast.

Now began the second period of the war. The swelling billows of the
Roman Catholic power had overflowed Germany even up to the Northern
Sea. From 1630 to 1634 came the Protestant counter-current, which
flowed in a resistless course from north to south over the third part
of Germany. Even after the death of their king, the Swedish Generals
kept their ascendency in the field; Wallenstein himself abandone